CROSSING STREETS SAFELY
- Remain alert when crossing streets; use crosswalks (known as zebra crossings here) and pay attention to traffic lights. Always LOOK both ways before crossing, as cyclists are known to run red lights.
- Don’t cross the road just because the person in front of you does; take responsibility for your own safety.
- Remember, we drive on the left in the UK. In central London, "Look Left" or "Look Right" is painted on the ground.
- Traveling to Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, or other European cities for a weekend? Be careful, as traffic will be approaching from the right.
ALCOHOL USE
We do not recommend that our students drink alcohol, but if you choose to drink, remember the following:
- You are at the highest risk when alcohol is involved, so stay alert to your surroundings.
- Don't leave your drinks unattended, accept drinks from strangers, leave a friend alone in a club, or buy drinks for a friend who has reached their limit.
DRUGS
Drugs are illegal! (i) Possession, (ii) Use, (iii) Selling, and (iv) Importing all carry fines or prison sentences and may result in removal from the program and deportation.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
- USING THE UNDERGROUND: Stay behind the yellow lines on station platforms; don’t fool around on platforms.
- NIGHT BUS: Stay alert and aware of your surroundings. It's best to sit downstairs or near the driver.
- SANTANDER CYCLES: If you rent a Santander cycle, obey traffic laws; get a helmet.
- TAXIS: Use only licensed ‘black cabs’ or cabs booked at a local ‘minicab’ office; do not get into a vehicle that claims to be a taxi, especially those cruising around West End clubs in the early hours of the morning.
NIGHT WALKING
- Be sure to use well-lit streets and travel in pairs or groups.
HOUSING SAFETY
- Regularly check to make sure that your door and window locks are fastened.
- Don’t invite people in if you’ve just met them or if your flatmates are uncomfortable.
FLAUNTING WEALTH
- Flaunting wealth increases the likelihood of attracting the wrong kind of attention.
AVOID PICKPOCKETS
Pickpockets operate in central London, particularly in crowded areas such as rush-hour Underground trains, tourist spots, pubs, and shops. Keep the following tips in mind to avoid being targeted, and consider purchasing insurance for your valuables:
- Don’t keep your wallet in your back pocket, and avoid placing valuables in an unsecured zip pocket of your backpack. Consider carrying your laptop in a regular bag rather than one that clearly looks like a laptop case.
- Wear your bag across your chest and avoid leaving it on a table, chair, or the floor next to you in a pub or restaurant.
- Be very cautious when using phones, laptops, and other electronics in public areas, as they can be easily snatched.
- If threatened by a mugger, hand over your property, alert the police, and obtain a crime number for insurance purposes. Again, consider getting insurance for your valuables and devices as a precaution.
- You may use the college safe and use lockers when staying in hostels.
- Be especially conscious of your valuables when traveling around Europe. Barcelona and Madrid are pickpocketing hotspots. Be careful not to look like conspicuous 'tourists.'
- Watch out for scams, particularly at ATMs (such as people distracting you while you enter your PIN).
TERRORIST THREATS
The UK terror alert is classified as ‘Substantial’; the highest level is ‘Critical’.
- Remain alert, not alarmed, and practice vigilance.
- In the event of a terrorist attack, follow the advice of the police: "GO IN, STAY IN, TUNE IN" and contact the London Centre and your family members as soon as possible.
- If you do find yourself caught up in adverse activity, the civil authorities' advice under the "Stay Safe" principles is: Run, Hide, Tell.
- Check for important information on official government websites and the local U.S. Embassy website.
REGISTER YOUR TRAVEL PLANS
If you are planning to travel, you must register your travel on the 'London Center Independent Student Travel' form in the online Terra Dotta system.
